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The winner of the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award looks all but decided, however, there is still a battle on among the other four contenders as our power rankings continue to fluctuate.
There has never been a more important time for the teams' bench units to contribute as we reach the business end of the season. The players on our list are already showing impressive win share numbers which some will have to continue if their side is to succeed in the playoffs - where most of our candidates are destined.
Let's look at the latest power rankings for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award.
Top 5 candidates for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award
Jordan Clarkson continues to dominate our rankings with his stellar displays and has outscored the Utah Jazz' starters on numerous occasions this season. He is one of the main reasons why they look viable to win a championship.
He's not the only player in our power rankings from the Utah Jazz, who currently own the best record in the NBA. Teammate Joe Ingles too features on our list.
Our remaining top-5 includes no new candidates from last week, though we have changes in order. Without further ado, let's dive in.
#5 Jalen Brunson
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 25.6 PPG: 12.8 AST: 3.5 REB: 3.6 FG%: 53.0
Previous NBA power rankings - 5th (-)
Jalen Brunson keeps hold of his place in our power rankings for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. For a team that needs to support Luka Doncic's scoring prowess, the 24-year-old has done just that this season, averaging a steady 12.8 points off the bench.
Over the Dallas Mavericks' last ten matchups, Brunson was one of only two players to play every game and come out with a positive +/- score while on the floor. The backup point guard is effective and shoots at over 50% in every game. He is averaging a career-high offensive rating of 123 and has a win share of 4.1.
#4 Montrezl Harrell
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 24.0 PPG: 13.9 AST: 1.1 REB: 6.6 FG%: 62.0
Previous NBA power rankings - 2nd (↓2)
Montrezl Harrell drops down a couple of spots in our power rankings for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award this week. In his last five games, Harrell's minutes have been cut to only 18.9 a night with Andre Drummond making the center position his own. Furthermore, now that Anthony Davis is back, the 27-year-old could see his minutes drop even further in the coming weeks.
Despite that, Harrell is still extremely efficient with the time he does see on the floor for the Lakers. Per 100 possessions, he has an offensive rating of 127 and a career-best defensive rating of 106.
Although he is the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year, it is unlikely that Harrell will retain his title this season.
#3 Chris Boucher
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 24.0 PPG: 13.6 AST: 1.1 REB: 6.7 FG%: 51.9
Previous NBA power rankings - 3rd (-)
Chris Boucher retains his place in our power rankings for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year. He has been integral to the Raptors' recent four-game winning run. During that time, Boucher has averaged above his season's figures, putting up 14.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game on only 27 minutes.
The 28-year-old could also win the Most Improved Player award this year, as he has significantly improved his points output as well as his assists, rebounds, field-goal percentage, and offensive rating compared to last season. What stands out most is his win share of 6.2, which is seriously impressive for a bench player.
#2 Joe Ingles
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 27.2 PPG: 12.4 AST: 4.4 REB: 3.7 FG%: 52.5
Previous NBA power rankings - 4th (↑2)
The sharpshooter climbs to second in our power rankings for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award this week. In the Utah Jazz' last three outings, Ingles and Clarkson have led all scorers, with the veteran forward putting up 20.7 points a night and draining a stunning 56.7% of three-point attempts.
That has helped to raise Ingles' three-point percentage for the season, which is just shy of 50% and ranks top among all NBA players. This is particularly impressive when you consider that he attempts 5.8 shots from beyond the arc per game.
Although usually a starter for the Utah Jazz, Joe Ingles has managed to increase his efficiency considerably, which is why he is a leading candidate for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. Despite averaging his least minutes per game since 2017, Ingles has increased his offensive rating by 20 to 135 and leads the league in effective field-goal percentage with a staggering 70.4%.
#1 Jordan Clarkson
2020-21 Season Record - MPG: 26.0 PPG: 17.5 AST: 2.1 REB: 4.0 FG%: 42.4
Previous NBA power rankings - 1st (-)
Pipping his teammate to the award currently is Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson. The 28-year-old has been integral to Utah's success this season, leading one of the most potent second units in the league.
After spending six years in the NBA for the Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers, Clarkson seems to have found his home in Utah and is flourishing. For most of the campaign, he has been the leading candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award, averaging 17.5 points and four rebounds a night. He leads the league in free-throw shooting at a prolific 94.9% and has a win share of 3.1.
Only Donovan Mitchell provides more points or field-goal attempts per night than Clarkson, despite him averaging fewer minutes than five other Jazz players. In the past week, he has led all scorers for Utah with 23.7 points a game and shot at 45.8% from the field.
Guess the Lakers players!
